"So we're all here?" The pink alicorn asked cautiously, eyeing the second non-alicorn gathered at the meeting. Shining Armor, nearly a century and a half old at this point, was still seated beside her, though he was certainly showing his age. The once brilliant blue main was now a light blue, sprinkles of grey scattered here and there. His eyes were still sharp as ever though, and he was making no attempts to conceal his feelings about the other guest.

"We are." Celestia said calmly. To her left sat Ares, and beside him sat her herd-sister Luna. All three of the older alicorns were relaxed, already having been introduced long ago to the guest that the alicorn stallion had invited.

"We'll start off with something quick and simple. At about the average speed of forest growth, the Everfree has begun expanding south and east."

"It has," Luna affirmed. "I have begun a side project looking to repair the damage done to the forest, and I am hopeful it will allow us to if not curb the growth, then at least reduce the danger of the forest. The battles betwixt Discord and ourselves, as well as our own in the time of my madness did the forest no favors. With ponies no longer living in the area to fight against the wild magic, it flourishes."

"We've had a few contacts with a large group of caribou. They've been prodding the Crystal Barrier, looking for some type of weakness to exploit." Shining Armor started, bringing the next topic to the table. "I've had a few scouts check their camps, and all I can say is the sooner we remove the threat the better. Their chieftain is ruthless."

"I've also heard about him, Armor." Ares said calmly, actually dozing slightly. At the looks of confusion from the Crystal Couple he chuckled.

"Suffice it to say for now that I have a few individuals moving against him even as we speak. I don't like his style; he's brutal for the sake of being brutal, rewards the same type of actions from his armies with promotions and gifts, and lashes out at everyone, not just other races. He's destroyed three other caribou tribes so far. The remnants of one such tribe is currently in Theramore. From there they'll been given several options of locations they can catch a boat to."

Ares tuned most of the talks out, focusing on the stallion ahead of him for a moment. While Shining was getting to the point where he could no longer rut the Alicorn of Love, Cadance was already the mother of fourteen foals. It was ridiculous, but the mare seemed to be the alicorn of all types of love, including motherly love and fertility. Certainly no other creature would be able to go through that many pregnancies that quickly and still be willing to submit themselves to it again. He'd joked with the stallion, though Shining had found it in poor taste, that his wife was a genetic roulette. Four pegasi, six earth ponies, three unicorns, and a single alicorn foal were the results of their hard work. The reason Ares compared her to a roulette? The mare had given birth to twelve others before the alicorn foal, so they'd literally hit the genetic jackpot.

The meeting went on for nearly two hours, the majority of the information flow being from Celestia and Luna to Cadance and Shining. Receiving a shove from the dark blue alicorn, Ares mentally returned to the meeting to note that most of the topics had thankfully been handled. It wasn't that the information wasn't important, but most of it was already on his desk, and Celestia had promised to make note of anything she'd not already heard for him. Seeing the others looking at him expectantly, he shook his head before waving a hoof to the second non-alicorn.

"The main things I came here today for was both to introduce a friend of mine, and allow her to explain her plan for the future of her people. This is Queen Pulmonus, and she guides the hives of Fortitude. She's been a friend of mine for centuries now, she was and still is one of my first allies on Equis. Pulmonus?"

The withered changeling queen smiled at his introduction before looking towards the two that were staring at her in discomfort, likely tasting exactly what they were feeling.

"I have found a solution to an old problem. I've found my replacement, or at least a queen who could be that replacement. The reason I asked to speak here is because of who that replacement is. I'm currently looking at a very young queen, a Queen Chrysalis."

The Crystal Couple both moved to speak, but were cut off by two raised hooves, one being the queen's and the other being Ares' own.

"Let her say her peace before you make your objections," the larger stallion chastised. "She's been planning this for several decades now."

Nodding in thanks, the queen continued.

"There are about fifteen other queens active in the world at the moment, a number that sadly drops every decade or so. With the fall of Equestria, there is no easy source of loving ponies to access, and most in Lord Ares' land are under the protection of my own hive; we don't allow the kidnapping many hives resort to. That being said, I have no children of my own. Normally I would have a daughter take over for me, or even lay an egg containing a proto-queen that could be raised to be the daughter I need. That is not an option for me. Several decades after I met Ares, I was injured and made sterile. I actually considered disconnecting from my hive, leaving them to another queen. It would have been the, traditional thing to do in such a case.

"Ares suggested that I continue leading them, though. That I not only continue on in my capacity as queen, but that I accept the outcasts of other hives under my wings as well. As of now, the Sun Hive is currently the second largest in the world, second only to the Sapphire hive in the Kharazi jungles. Our numbers are supported solely through taking in other changelings and any broodmares that happen to leave other hives, though most come from the Ruby hive. Queen Ignita is quite brutal in her treatment of all creatures, even her own changelings."

"Why does it have to be that, that nag?!?" Shining shouted, breaking into a coughing fit afterwards. Cadance immediately wrapped him in her wings, but still looked at the alicorns and the changeling questioningly.

"Queen Ignita kills anything that doesn't either belong to her hive or provide it with food. Queen Cicindela refuses to see any other as her equal, much less accept the words of another queen. Queen Lestidae has taken a hooves off approach, withdrawing from the world and hoping things improve over time. That is why I have chosen Chrysalis. She is the only queen I know of that had both the audacity to look at changeling traditions of stealth and subterfuge and spit at them when they did not work for her hive, and also had the will to survive. Her hive was badly damaged by both her failed invasion and the retaliations from other hives for bringing changelings into the spotlight. Add in the fall of Equestria and the most abundant harvesting grounds, and the infighting of other queens, Chrysalis never did manage to recover from her defeat. She has spent the last century attempting to regain some sort of hoofhold or powerbase, but has yet to succeed."

Looking to the three larger alicorns she smiled softly, "I believe the three of you, Luna, Ares, and Tia, would be able direct her. She is still so very young, only a little older than Cadance actually, and has spent most of that time just trying to survive."

"Surely there has to be another option," Cadance said cautiously. "I mean, that's only a few queens, right? There are more."

Pulmonus shook her head, "None that would survive or be able to adapt. There are certainly a few that come close, and if it comes to it, I will attempt to find them. Chrysalis is the only other queen that has both the willingness to attempt new ways as well as the stubborn will to live that I am looking for."

"What's her hive looking like these days?" Ares asked before Cadance could object again.

"Twelve true drones at last count, though it may be more or less by now." the queen responded. "She's been pushed out of her old territory and is currently caught between Queen Dorylus and our own country. I've set up a few holes in changeling patrols in the area to allow her access to our lands, and she seems to be taking the opportunity. Whether she realizes she's being granted this opportunity or thinks she's being clever is irrelevant."

"Okay, so she's the best choice out of other queens, but why not another one of your daughters, or maybe even look into getting healed so you could continue, uh, laying eggs," Cadance managed to grind out, not at all thrilled at the ideas being passed around.

The light in the queen's eyes faded slightly, "My daughters were, sadly, some of the first casualties of this new age we find ourselves in, and if I were to be healed I would loose my nerve, my instinct to continue my species being too strong. While ponies were certainly targeted before The Shift, changelings have always been kill on sight for most races. The only real exception I've seen was a certain stubborn pegasus who decided my territory would make a great location for a city."

"So we can likely expect Chrysalis to react much the same way you did, and we'll likely have to take her down the same way I knocked you out," Ares said with a grin. "Do you think she'll learn faster?"

Pulmonus chuckled at the memory and seeing the confused glances of those around her explained, "Ares was brought before me several times, and each time he knocked out my drones and myself by focusing emotions like lust or happiness at us. After so long attempting to drain every last bit of emotion we could from ponies to survive, we were extremely susceptible to such an attack. Oh dear, how many times did you do that before you dragged me to your home?"

"I think it was around five. After that I threw you in a corner and would focus on you anytime you'd start to get back up," the stallion said with a grin. "I think it was about six weeks later that you admitted defeat, though it was only because I let a drone tell you just how long you were out of it. Even a changeling queen will call it after nearly two months of being unable to guide her hive; they were starting to look to me for orders since they had nothing else at the time."

Smiling fondly at the alicorn she pushed on, "Had it been a mare I likely would have accepted defeat much more quickly, but you know how I was back then. That will actually be one of the major points. Celestia, Luna, one of you will be leading the operation against Chrysalis. You will need to defeat her and bring her in. Ares can and likely will be with you, but males are not viewed as beings of power by our people."

"Lulu can do it!" Celestia almost instantly volunteered. Giggling at the other mare, she pushed Ares into her sister, "Don't think I don't know what you've put him through, Miss 'Kiss my hooves and worship my moon'. You already like being dominant, what's the difference here?"

Luna blushed fiercely at being called out so publicly, sputtering and attempting to deny the accusations. Unfortunately, Ares came to her rescue.

"Leave my mistress alone, Tia. You know she gets flustered if she's not in control."

"You will need to be cruel to her to be kind, Luna," Pulmonus said with a sad smile. "She will not bow because you defeat her. While your sister is saying this in a teasing manner, you may need to resort to mean-spirited methods to make her listen.

"That being said, I'm afraid I have to ask the two of you to make a sacrifice."

Ares and Luna's faces fell slightly at the wording and the grin still sitting on the withered queen's muzzle.

"What kind of sacrifice are we talking about here?" the two alicorns asked simultaneously.

<-(0)->

'Six bucking months,' Luna seethed silently as she trudged through the forest with Ares following behind her. The two were currently moving towards Chrysalis' last known location and judging by how tightly patrolled the area was by her own countries changelings, it was likely the queen hadn't moved very far lately.

That's not to say Pulmonus had allowed the other queen to starve. A few supply runs of emotion that just so happened to be hit by 'raiders' near the hive had just so happened to lose more than enough emotion to keep the queen and her small hive alive while the alicorns were prepared. Such covert operations were something she'd gotten quite good at during her friendship with the Alicorn of War, and with such an important event approaching Queen Pulmonus had put her all into this plan.

Approaching the almost invisible cave, the two cast their spells. One being a general concealment barrier, which would divert most wildlife from the location while they worked. The second would prevent the queen from using her teleport to escape. The third kept the other two hidden from most detection spells.

Nodding to her mate, the blue alicorn stepped into the cave, passing by the silently screeching form of a drone that had been put on watch. She knew the queen was now aware of their presence, but there would be no escape for the younger mare. Not with two alicorns in her doorway and the other paths out of the cave currently blocked by barriers set up by Pulmonus' own drones.

Even as they entered the main chamber of the cave, the drone from the entrance flew by them, landing lightly next to its queen. Chrysalis stood before them, fangs bared and wings splayed, hissing at the two like a startled serpent.

"Looks even worse than the last report." Ares muttered softly from behind her. Sadly enough, Luna had to agree. Her sister had shared with her the description of the queen after the attack on Canterlot. The mare before her now was a shadow of that form. Gaunt and filthy, the queen was a mess. Her mane greasy and tattered, her chitin chipped and cracked. Even the drones were looking worse for wear, one even missing a leg. In most cases a true drone that had suffered a similar injury would be disconnected, having no real use to a functional hive. Chrysalis didn't have the resources to just throw it away.

It was still there though, the reason Pulmonus had wanted this one; the fire. In the queen's eyes still burned a fire to survive, to surpass the obstacles set before her. There was no doubt in Luna's mind that the mare before her could be dangerous in any other situation. That was why the stallion's friend had wanted her.

Fire could be dangerous, but it also protected its wielder from the dangers of the night.

The queen tensed, readying herself to pounce as her drones took to the air. Luna almost laughed at the display. It was absurd, but it just highlighted the stubbornness of the queen. Letting her mind wander, she began doing as she'd been instructed by the stallion, letting her desires float around her head and cloud her senses with inappropriate thoughts. She imagined the queen as she would look once she was cleaned and fed, imagined the queen strapped down as she toyed with the smaller mare, giggled at the thought of watching the mare as she squeaked helplessly at either her own or Ares' ministrations. Six months without her mate's touch had left her with quite the buildup to deal with.

For her own part Chrysalis reeled at the sudden waves of lust assaulting her, the emotions being immediately consumed by the hungry queen and her hive. Three seconds later, the drones were back on the ground, unable to keep themselves upright in their intoxicated states. Ten seconds after that they were shutting down, incapable of functioning with so much lust in their systems. Nearly a minute into the assault she was on her side, the room spinning around her as she fought desperately against the still-overpowering waves of lust resonating from the mare before her. With a single whimper, she coughed up a small amount of red-colored gel and finally collapsed into unconsciousness.

Lost in her fantasies, the blue alicorn didn't even notice her target was no longer responding, nor did she hear the hoofsteps approaching from behind her. She did feel the tongue running up her rear leg as well as the ejection from her gaping need, causing her to whinny in both surprise and arousal. Turning from the queen she met the stallion's muzzle with a fierce kiss, both being extremely pent up from their months without and the teasing from the white alicorn. Breaking the kiss she glared at the gray-toned alicorn.

"We're getting her back home, and we're taking the next three days off. Got it?"

"Only three? I already had a week scheduled." Ares responded with a wicked grin. His aura flared, dragging the insensate queen and her drones closer before the group disappeared in a flash of alicorn magic, leaving nothing behind but a few drops of lust-saturated changeling honey, the thick scent of shared arousal, and a few rapidly fading spells.

Arriving only moments later in the castle's teleportation receiving room, the two hoofed the queen and her drones over to the castle guards and the mare bolted down the hallway to her own room, the stallion hot on her hooves. Even at the pace they were going, he was beginning to emerge way too quickly to be publicly decent, and he could see the mare winking obscenely almost as soon as they dropped off the queen. Slamming the door shut behind her, Luna grabbed Ares in her aura, flung the stallion towards the bed and jumped up over him, smashing her muzzle into his own and grinding desperately against the male below her. Even as her quickly slickening heat sought to draw him fully from his sheath, the stallion began bucking against her, his own sensitivity leaving him enjoying the contact immensely. He latched onto her barrel with his forelegs and shifted, reversing their position and continuing the mare's work himself, grinding lustfully against the increasingly wet mare's weeping opening.

"Now I know how badly Tia had it when we punished her," Luna gasped, squirming under his weight. She too shifted, not attempting to take the lead but catching his rod in her canal and gasping at the sudden feeling of fullness. Ares too had stopped upon the penetration, the too-sensitive flesh of his stallionhood once more finding itself gripped tightly by the female below him.

"Oh hell, if this is what it was like, we're not doing that again. Ever," Ares muttered, trying to finish his now ragged thrust into the mare. He'd swear they were in a shared heat with how anxious he was feeling.

"You, you're sure you're not in heat? 'Cuz I don't remember it being this bad before."

"N-no, I'm not, I, oh buck it feels like it, but no, not for another decade." Luna answered, bucking needily against her intruder as she felt the ring finally force its way inside. There was no need for kissing, no desire to be intimate or be loving. Both already knew the love was there, they'd been together for nearly a century now. No, right now all they wanted was to go back to basics. All they wanted was to once more rut each other into the ground.

Luna grunted loudly as the stallion pumped into her, teeth gritting at the rough pounding the stallion was delivering. It was what she needed though. She clenched slightly, the first signs of her approach, and the stallion responded by slowing a moment, his pole flaring slightly deep inside her before he continued.

"You, you better not finish so soon!" she shouted over the wet slapping of his thighs against her own. Despite her warnings she felt him begin to weaken, his twitching increasing with every strike.

"Ares, don't you da-"

Her protest was cut off as he smashed his lips into hers once more, hilting himself deep inside the mare and allowing his flare to lock into her. Then, as she felt the pulses of his seed beginning their journey, he started again. He raised himself, lifting the mare's hips off the bed before slamming back down into the mattress, repeating the process even as she felt the strikes of his seed against her walls, felt the warmth of his ejaculate deep inside her. She clenched at the building pressure, the feeling nearly bringing her to orgasm by the sensations alone but stopping just shy. She shuddered, feeling him begin to slide out and began to berate him when he forced himself back inside. She squeaked in surprise, not expecting such a quick turnaround. Three strokes later and she squealed, her own sex rewarding her for her hard work with waves of pleasure.

Ares grunted as he pounded into the female below him. He heard her squeal in her first orgasm in several months, but it wasn't enough. They had a lot of time to make up for, after all. The bed suddenly shifted as he worked towards his second release of the night; an additional weight on his back as well as a few loving nibbles on his own neck drew his attention. It seemed Luna's herd-sister had decided she wanted to join in the activity.

"You're not the only one who hasn't had much fun lately, you know." The white mare whispered, needily grinding against his own flank.

The stallion barely registered the words, only the second scent in the room, the second winking need that was demanding attention. Pulling out of the still gasping blue alicorn with a wet plop, he jumped off of Luna and then off the bed, his horn blazing as he brought the new mare onto the mattress in his previous place. Celestia giggled as she floated into Luna's needy hooves, the mares nibbling and nipping each other as they awaited his return. They didn't have to wait long.

Once more the bed shifted under the weight of an additional body being added, and Tia looked back at the male now lining up with her burning sex. Without a word he buried himself inside her, driving a moan of contentment from her throat. She ground back and forth, both against the rod and against the mare below her, seeking to aid both of them in their goal just as she new they would do for her. Luna began nibbling at her throat even as Ares did the same to the back of her neck, and the stallion began rutting her in earnest.

"S-six o'clock, twenty degrees," the white mare ground out, her teeth instantly gritting against the change in pressure as her mate acknowledged her request with a slight shift of his weight. She mewled, his thick ring dragging across her most sensitive location with every stroke. Certainly they'd had years of practice since they began, but some things didn't change. Her G-spot was still right where it had been the first time he'd rutted her, and she knew exactly what to say to get him to hit it.

"Ha, ha, half, half stroke, oh please but faster!"

Once more the stallion responded, his strokes shorter and faster, and the time between his strikes against her lump of nerves decreased. She moaned lewdly, clenching her forelegs around Luna as she felt her own orgasm approaching. With a shout, it happened. The white mare clenched tightly around her invader, barely slowing Ares' momentum as he continued rutting her. Realizing what was happening, Tia squirmed, attempting to make some sort of request without any air left in her lungs. He was still going in the same pace against her, hitting the same amazing spot.

With a pitiable whinny of pleasure, the mare shuddered for the second time in a single minute, unable to get her request to the stallion in any understandable way. Feeling her go limp, he changed his strokes once more, repeatedly burying himself deep in her canal as he worked to his own release. With several rapid grunts, he hilted one last time, locking deep inside the mare and unleashing a torrent of seed into her. Unlike before, he sighed, relaxing onto the mare as she giggled dizzily on top of the third member, the blue alicorn staring up at the ceiling with relief in her eyes. Hearing him slow, Luna blinked, trying to focus once more and reaching up for a kiss.

"That...was far better than it had any right to be. I think I would like to relax a few moments before we continue though."

The pile agreed and reassembled itself, curling up against each other even as the scent of lust permeated the room. None objected to her idea. They had the next few days to themselves after all.

<-(0)->

One week later the alicorns were making their way to the cell holding the changeling queen. Pulmonus had stayed out of the picture, citing it would be they who would be dealing with the mare and thus should learn how to work with her as soon as possible. Coming to the cell, Luna stared harshly at the sulking queen.

Chrysalis had still not received any attention to her chitin or mane, refusing each request the alicorn made of her. Luna was done being Misses Nice Pony.

"Get up," she commanded, and surprisingly the queen obeyed. The queen still glared at the group, but she did as told, even following the blue mare to their personal bathing room. Looking around at the room in confusion, the younger mare's eyes widened in surprise when Luna next spoke.

"Get in."

After a few moments of resistance, Ares shoved the changeling from behind, knocking the queen into the pool-sized bath with a yelp. Celestia and Luna had worked out the issue the day before; the three of them were friends and lovers, but the queen was used to structure, a specific leader and each creature under her having their own place. It was time to teach the queen her place in this country; time to teach the new mare her place in the herd.

Before Chrysalis had even finished attempting to wipe the water from her face, her secondary lids preventing the soapy water from reaching her sensitive eyes, she was beset from all sides by towels and scrub brushes.

"She smells like that experiment Twilight messed up three years ago," Ares commented dryly.

"Eugh, her mane's a mess too," Celestia complained, the white mare's aura kneading and brushing the nest that had grown on the changeling's head. "I know you were in the wild, but did you even- oh stars, I think I saw something move in there!"

Even as the queen was drowned in a myriad of soaps, oils, disinfectants, and anti-parasite serums the blue alicorn watched from a chair. Normally she'd have been in there with them, in fact two days ago she had been, the three of them enjoying a long scrubbing after several days of returning to their shared room. As Twilight had explained it, it seemed the increased libido had something to do with the three of them returning to their own rooms for several months. Their instincts had tried getting them back together with an increase in desire. Once they'd begun sleeping together again, it had settled.

Sadly Luna had to be in a position of power at the moment, having been chosen as the lead mare for this experiment. As long as the queen was present, Luna would have the final word. It would reinforce the standing of all four of them until the queen was willing to listen with more enthusiasm than her current grudging obedience.

After a few moments of watching the queen have her outer layer of chitin scrubbed off by her overly enthusiastic mates, the blue mare's ears twitched, a muttering from the door drawing her ear. Silently, she approached it, muffling her hoofsteps with a simple spell.

"Why are they doing it? Why not get some drones to clean her. She's a queen right?" one voice whispered.

"I don't know, I heard they're going to give her to momma Tia, since dad can't keep up with her," a second whispered, answered by the giggles of a third voice.

Swinging the door open suddenly and snagging all three in her magic aura, Luna stared down at the relatively young ponies that had been spying at the door.

"Star Struck and Lancing Nova, I do believe we've discussed interrupting our personal bath time as well as leading Morning Breeze into such foolishness," Luna berated the smaller alicorns, Star and Lancing looking away even as Morning Breeze giggled in the blue aura. Though the older pair were nearly a century old, they were just approaching adulthood, finally filling out as ponies would normally do by their seventeenth year. Breeze was not even half that age, and still acted much like a young filly just old enough to wander the house on her own, with supervision of course.

"They said mommy was getting a new special friend, can I meet New Mommy?" Breeze asked with a huge smile.

Luna stared at the foal, even as she heard Tia sputtering and laughing behind her. With a sigh, Luna launched the filly over her own head, a squeal of excitement escaping the foal as it soared to its mother like an arcane missile. Turning back to her own set of foals, Luna's frown returned.

"Now, what shall I do with you two?"

Ares watched the changeling queen as she stared at the interactions, able to taste what was being felt but unable to feed on the emotions present. The inhibitor on her horn, one specifically designed for changelings, prevented such things. It also prevented her from passing out should she be subjected to high levels of lust again.

'The stallion with the chitin fetish would never fear being captured,' he thought with a chuckle, drawing a confused glance from the queen. Turning back, the mare jumped, the pink furred an white maned filly having finished hugging Celestia and now exploring the new being in the room.

"She's kinda' stinky, what's wrong with her mane? Didn't she wash it? Quick Clip would have a heart attack if he saw her like this. Does Aunty Pulmy know she's here? Lancing said she was for momma because momma's a nympho, is that true?"

With an irritated growl, the changeling snapped at the filly, drawing a squeak of fear. Before she could bask in her small victory, Ares shoved her into the water, pulling the sputtering queen back up a moment later.

"Be nice, Chrysie. She's one of my daughters. We didn't harm your children, did we?"

The queen sunk into the bubbles at that, her ears splaying. While the drones that had been captured with the mare had been troublesome, they like their queen followed Luna's orders. He was sure the queen expected to be executed along with her drones at first. A few days along with seeing other drones on guard duty likely obliterated that idea, and now she was trying to gather her strength for what she knew was coming. Negotiations.

A quick flip of a lever and the water began washing away, the tub draining the filth that had been removed from the queen and then refilling with fresh, hot water. The changeling stared in fascination as it refilled around her before her gaze landed back on the stallion beside her. Once more the alicorn bore a large bottle of soap and a handled scrub brush.

"Give me your leg," he demanded quietly. Chrysalis looked questioningly at Luna, not accepting the stallion's order, but having learned he sometimes spoke for the pony queen.

Sensing her gaze, Luna turned back to the tub and seeing what was going on nodded her approval while gathering the foals in her aura.

"Listen to them until you see me again, Chrysalis. You should already know that by now, but I'm ordering it. Ares, Tia? I expect her to be somewhat presentable by dinner."

With that the blue mare made her way to the door, a slight flick of her tail and a sultry look back at them telling the stallion exactly what would be happening later on that night. Negotiations weren't the only thing he'd be doing later on.

Begrudgingly the shape shifter lifted a hoof out of the water and Ares grabbed it in his aura, smothering his scrub brush in soap. Celestia's horn flashed with magic even as she prepared her own brush. He started scrubbing all along the mares hooves, removing what little grime was left before driving the scrubber into one of her holes.

Chrysalis yelped in shock, the sudden sensation causing her to shudder. The brush came out the other end and she flinched, seeing several fungal clumps and what looked like a dead beetle fall into the water below.

"Damn, this is after they hosed her down too," Ares muttered as he splashed the gunk off the brush and targeted a second hole, getting another burst of gunk from the shivering queen. Before he could begin on a third, the mare tensed, her entire body going ridged for a few seconds. Looking at her, he cocked his head in confusion. The changeling's eyes were wide in terror, slowly trying to pull away from the two alicorns. She scooted another step back before tensing again, her body curling inward slightly.

"...no, no no no, not now, not here..." she whispered, the tensing of her body coming more and more quickly. Suddenly there was a loud crack, the queen whimpering slightly as her body curled up tightly. Before Ares could respond, the queen shifted, literally pulling herself out of her own skin. The queen struggled slightly, the sudden molt freeing her from her suppressor but depositing her sensitive shell directly into the warm soapy water and the embrace of her company.

Ares was left speechless, the queen currently staring off into nothing as he and Celestia held her soft-shelled head over the water. The mare was breathing heavily for some reason, and shivering. It actually reminded him of-

"I believe she's getting off on this," Celestia said with a giggle. Shoving the old shell to the side of the tub with a burst of her magic, the white alicorn moved closer, cuddling into her and receiving a mewl of pleasure from the smaller mare. Seeing her about to attempt to lick the queen Ares caught her tongue in his aura, chuckling at her.

"I wouldn't do that, Tia. Take a closer look."

Using a wet rag, he wiped the queens neck, drawing a shuddering moan from the changeling. Showing the oily mess to the older mare, he smiled.

"Might want to get rid of that first."

The white alicorn blanched at the site, pushing off the queen and looking down at her own barrel, swiping a brush repeatedly against her now green-tinted fur.

"Oh, gross! Oils take forever to get out of my coat!"

Nothing really made sense anymore. Not before, when she was trapped in the jungle surrounded by patrols that kept just missing her. Not when she was taken by the alicorns, locked in a cell where they came to ask her questions, but fed her and her drones. Not even now, when the white one, the one she vaguely remembered defeating all those years ago, was rubbing all over her newly exposed shell.

It wasn't long before the stallion reapplied the ring, and while she knew it would prevent her from using magic she was thankful. It held back the waves of lust the white mare seemed to exude, the same waves that the blue one had used to defeat her. That was probably it, the blue one had told the white mare her weakness. That- that did not explain why the large mare was currently nibbling her neck while giggling like a filly.

"Tia you're getting a bit touchy, what's wrong?" the male asked, though she could still taste the barely restrained waves he exuded as well.

"I'm sorry, I've just been really excitable since we finished that dry spell. I know Twilight explained it and we should be settling down soon, but seeing her like this, she's adorable and I want to cuddle and nibble her till she screams!" the mare behind her explained with a manic giggle.

Chrysalis' eyes widened; the alicorn planned on torturing her! She began fidgeting and shifting to try and escape the mare's grip, only to be pressed into her even tighter as the stallion pulled them both against himself. She was trapped, feeling the wall of muscle before her in direct opposition to the soft hair of the mare against her back. She squirmed even more, the feeling of anxiety growing as two began to press against her, kissing over her. Breaking the kiss, he whispered something to the white mare, the queen just barely making out the word 'later' before he backed away and hopped out of the bathing pool. The smaller mare sighed at the reprieve, carefully scooting away from Celestia as the mare stared off after the male. Curious, the shape shifter followed her gaze.

The queen would deny it later, but Celestia wasn't the only one watching him sway as he dried himself off. Noticing his audience, or at least noticing Celestia, he shifted so he was showing them his side, splaying his wings and clenching his stomach in an erotic display, causing the hanging rod to shift and rock below him. Grinning at having won the white mare's absolute attention, he teleported out of the room, leaving Chrysalis alone with the white alicorn.

For the first time since she'd been captured, Chrysalis was thankful for the suppressor. The waves of lust rolling off the drooling white mare would have left her to drown otherwise.

<-(0)->

Dinner was a quiet affair. All three alicorns ate in silence while the queen sipped at a cup of changeling honey. She was nervous, and her flitting wings betrayed her with their almost constant movement. Ares glanced anxiously to Luna, the mare managing to remain stoic even knowing what was at stake. Done correctly, the issue could be resolved in a day or two. If things went pear-shaped though, it could result in either years of training and re-education, or possibly losing Pulmonus' primary candidate.

The meal was soon finished, the queen holding her glass with both hooves as her eyes flitted from the drink, to Ares, to Celestia, then back to her drink. Not to Luna, though; never to her. The others were not her betters, but that one she could not challenge. Ares winced internally at the sight. They were playing a dangerous game. Too much of this, and they may remove one of the things that made her such a good option. Too much pressure and she'd break, losing that fire, that drive to succeed that had kept her going for so long. He knew it could happen. It had nearly happened to him at several points in the past.

Luna coughed, drawing the eyes of all those gathered to her.

"Chrysalis, you have been brought here for a reason," she explained, looking directly at the shying mare. "You fear the worst, and likely have many rights to expect such given your raising. However, I wish to ask you something. What have you seen while in our custody that does not add up. What have you witnessed that makes no sense to you?"

For nearly a full minute, the queen was silent. Gathering her courage, she spoke up.

"Drones," she whispered. "Drones walking around the castle, dropping off food, I even saw a few on patrol when I was escorted here. Who leads them? Do you?"

"That would be Queen Pulmonus. She leads the drones here, but she is under the rule of my herd." Luna answered authoritatively. Seeing the queens ears perk at the name, Luna frowned, "You recognize the name?"

"I heard this was her territory long ago, then all I was hearing about was drones following an alicorn. Did you, what did you do to her?" Chrysalis asked, the fear unmistakable.

"She works with my herd. It was she who asked us to find you, and it was she that allowed you into our country." Luna explained, doing her best to hide her smirk when the queen frowned at the last bit of information. Pulmonus was apparently right, Chrysalis had suspected the old nag had allowed her into the country. "Did you know Pulmonus is sterile?"

Chrysalis' eyes narrowed, "Impossible. Any queen that becomes sterile disconnects from their hive. The hive then joins any nearby hives and the queen goes off to uh, die."

"She was planning on doing just that but Ares stopped her, he asked her to stay. She did as he asked, and has ruled this hive for a very long time now. Not one of the drones is of blood relation to her, but she rules them all the same," giggling, Luna gave the queen a kind smile, the first she'd given the younger mare all day. "The drones of many hives actually prefer being here. We even have a few of the Ruby hive's broodmares here if that means anything to you."

She didn't respond as she had before, but Ares knew she understood exactly what that meant. Broodmares were not exactly the most mobile of the changelings, only able to move at a slow waddle on the best of days and completely reliant on others for transportation on others. The fact that Pulmonus' hive had a few would mean that not only had the drones been unhappy with their situation, they'd convinced enough drones around them to transport them from the hive to a new location. This information, when given to a changeling that put the wellbeing of her hive over her species traditions, likely spoke of a level of cruelty the queen couldn't comprehend another queen inflicting on her own hive.

"Though she has ruled her hive for centuries now, and they have flourished under her with Ares' aid, she spent too many decades starving and withering away. She has lost all of her daughters in the Shift, and despite our best attempts to dissuade her from her path, she is adamant. She wishes to pass on her hive."

The queen opened her mouth, likely to ask what that meant for her when she stopped, making the connection. The queen's eyes widened, shaking her head in disbelief. Luna pushed on, keeping up the pressure.

"She told us that you'd likely be difficult, but that you were the option she felt would fit best. Others were close, but none held the traits she desired in the appropriate quantities. Adaptability; your attack on Canterlot years ago went against everything changelings stand for, and while I cannot condone the attack, it was so out of the blue that it very nearly succeeded. Had you been working with an ally, somebody to watch your back, it's very possible that despite your drunkenness you would have succeeded.

"The second thing is will. You have suffered setback after setback and still strive to see your hive rise above those who brought you low. Pulmonus' report on the retaliations you suffered was quite thorough, and even Ares found himself wondering how you'd survived some of them. Even here, fitted with a suppressor and caged under the authority of three alicorns you keep looking for opportunities. Don't think we haven't noticed, Chrysalis. You've been watching the patrols, testing your bonds, and looking for a way to slip the suppressor off your horn when we least expected it. I may even go as far to say you were attempting to hold off your molt until you were ready to escape."

The queen sunk into her seat at her plans being called out so easily, looking nervously at the alicorns. Blinking as an idea struck, she straightened.

"Why isn't Queen Pulmonus here to confront me about this?"

"Your wording, for one. We aren't confronting you, we're attempting to speak to you." Ares answered, before wincing and giving an apologetic look to Luna.

The mare nodded, rolling her foreleg in a request that he continue.

"You have several hundred years of experience with changelings, Ares. Something Tia and I lack. Continue."

Nodding to the blue alicorn, he turned back to the queen, "Queens never just talk. They argue, they jockey for position, they snipe at each other, they plot each other's demise, but the never talk to each other. The second Pulmonus is mentioned, like just now, you tense. The second any other queen is mentioned, most queens tense. I spent centuries working with Pulmonus, and I've learned a lot about your race; how you view each other and how you view other races. You value strength, right? You want to be strong, want to be able to survive this hitch, to see your hive return to power. Pulmonus is not a competitor, she wants to leave the field, she doesn't want to fight over territory anymore. We are not competitors either. As I told Pulmonus so many years ago yes ponies can be a resource, but like any resource they can be used incorrectly, inefficiently. Your method is inefficient.

"When Pulmonus' hive harvests emotion, its from what I call free-range ponies. Those creatures that are not cocooned. The creatures not only produce more, many don't have to be defended or watched over by caretakers. In fact, some will defend you. I've lost track of how many beings I've given medals to that were injured taking blows meant for changelings. I personally took an arcanite spear meant for Pulmonus in the shoulder back before I even ascended. It took a few years but I healed," Ares told her, rubbing a spot of his shoulder with a dark line. "Seeing as the spear was headed for her barrel, she wouldn't have survived the hit."

"We are not looking to take your hive from you, Chrysalis. The opposite is true. We wish to see it flourish. However, we also wish for you to be adaptable, to be able to take others in as Pulmonus has done," Celestia explained, giving the shape shifter a reassuring smile. "In fact, we want you to be strong, as strong as Pulmonus, if not stronger. Pulmonus is a part of our country, and as such, she is a powerful force that we do everything in our power to support. We need her to be strong, as strong as we are. We present a united front, four powerful beings that watch over this country, each doing our own thing."

"I enjoy the sciences, so I spend most of my time working in my labs attempting to further both our understanding, and our technology." Luna said, making a gesture to the white alicorn.

"I attend to public relations, trade agreements, and working with delegates of other countries," Celestia explained, motioning to the stallion.

"I oversee the military. Before we all came to this agreement, I was the sole power here, even over Pulmonus," Ares told the shape shifter. "I find it easier this way though, and it allows me to spend more time on what I'm good at, instead of floundering in areas I'm unsuited for."

"And Pulmonus guides the changelings, bringing to our attention anything we may have missed," Luna finished. "Being connected to so many changelings she is intimately familiar with the current events of our country, even those in locations several hours away. She gives us early warning, incredibly accurate information, and can relay changes to plans to our soldiers in a pinch, and in return we defend her and her hive. The Sun hive is part of Fortitude, after all. To allow any queens to strike at her would be allowing them to strike at us. That is why in spite of her sterility and old age, none have moved against her. Doing so would bring three alicorns and their army to the attacker's doorstep.

"This is the position being offered to you, Chrysalis. Pulmonus wishes to leave, and we need a changeling queen, one who can unite and protect our changeling subjects from other queens, and to be our Mistress of Information. In return you will be granted full rights as a fellow ruler, the resources you need to rebuild your own hive, and access to any meetings and balls held in the castle. Pulmonus did not make public appearances because she did not wish to. If you wish to join us at these events, you are free to do so, in fact we would encourage it."

"There's a catch," Chrysalis said, her eyes narrowing. "There's always a catch."

Luna opened her mouth to deny it, but Ares cut in before she could speak.

"Of course there is. You will take an oath. A magic oath, one that not even a changeling can weasel her way out of."

The younger mare scowled at him before he continued. "The same oath we will take. A promise not only to stand beside, but support each other in our endeavors. By this same oath, we will be bound to help you, as you are bound to help us.

Lighting his horn to power the spell, he spoke aloud, "Do not aggress other nations without consulting your fellow rulers. Do not betray your fellow rulers. Do not abandon your fellow rulers when you can do something to aid them. Always work towards the betterment of the country. If all gathered agree to go their separate ways, a full two years of neutrality will be maintained between all parties after the dispersal of this oath."

The other alicorns listened to the oath in full before lighting their own horns, binding themselves in the spell as well. Then all turned to the queen. The mare was biting her lip, unsure of the outcome, but knowing the deal was impossibly sweet and as it was said, anything that seemed too good was obviously a trap of some sort. The issue was that if that was the case, Ares, Luna and Celestia had placed themselves in the trap as well.

"I want something else," Chrysalis finally said, looking over the three. "The love. I could taste it even from my cell. You share it with each other, I want it, I want some of it."

Luna barked with laughter, "Are you joking? That's not how love works, we can't just-"

"If you want it, you have to earn it." Celestia cut in, her smile turning devious. "We will be sharing our love tonight. If you think you can handle it, you may join us. I'd keep the ring though. If Luna's lust was enough to floor you, I'd hate to see what being stuck between all three of us will do to you."

Ares looked from Luna to Celestia, "Are you sure you want to just, invite her like that?"

"Ah, a call back to the old ways, a political marriage," the blue alicorn giggled. "I've not been in one for centuries. If nothing more, it should shake things up a bit."

"If that is all, we will give you the chance to participate in our, hehe, shared love," Celestia said, eyes tracking over the changelings form.

Not quite certain what she'd gotten herself into, the mare agreed. Her suppressor was removed and she lit her horn, testing the spell the stallion was running and verifying that it was indeed a binding spell, one tuned to his spoken oath. With a deep breath, she wove her own magic into the spell and Ares allowed it to finish, binding the four of them to his words. Their part complete, Luna and Celestia rose from their seats and made their ways to the door.

"The halls are yours, Chrysalis, as are the servants," Luna called over her shoulder. "Do not be overly obnoxious, and they will happily serve you in any capacity you request. We will speak again tonight. I suggest you rest up."

After the other two had left the stallion approached the shape shifter, his expression serious.

"I know you have no clue what you've just gotten yourself into, so I will warn you now. Bring the suppressor. You will need it. This is going to be different from anything you've done before. Even your harvesting the seed of stallions for your clutch. Your usual spells will not be allowed, so rest up and finish your honey. Tonight will be rough."

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The changeling queen walked behind the white alicorn, the older mare tasting a strange combination of excitement, lust, love, and general happiness. Chrysalis didn't know much about the full workings of pony society, nor did she understand exactly what was about to happen. She knew the ponies were going to be sharing their love, that it seemed to spark an increase in lust in all three, and that for some reason the mare before her was already acting strange.

The shape shifter was fairly certain pony's tails didn't sit that high normally, nor did that part of their body, move like that normally. It even smelled strange, the queen never really spending any time with mares as they couldn't provide her with seed. Certainly she knew her own sex would undulate in a similar pattern once she'd mounted a male, but was it really normal for a pony to start, well, leaking like that?

"Oh, this is going to be a treat," the mare said, her open sex winking once more as they quickly moved down the empty halls. If the queen didn't know any better she'd say the guards were aware of something she wasn't and had cleared out.

Following Celestia into a darkened room, the changeling instantly recognized all three alicorns in the low light. Ares to the left, Celestia taking her place on the right and in the middle...

"On the bed, Chrysalis," Luna told her, still speaking with the authority she used earlier. The queen winced as she lifted herself onto the bed, glad she'd taken their advice and kept the suppressor. Nothing had even happened yet and the lust was already rolling off of them in waves. If she was completely honest, the intensity frightened her a little. Still she'd never admit it to them. She needed to prove she was strong.

Luna turned around and relaxed on the bed, exposing her rear half to the queen and giving the changeling her second view of a needy alicorn marehood for the night.

"You're going to start by working on me. Then, when I'm satisfied you're actually here to try, we'll move on to your first round. From what Pulmonus told us, it may be all you can manage."

Chrysalis glared at the mare. While not certain what was being called into doubt, she was certain Luna had called her out in some way. Looking at the presented mare, she approached cautiously, not quite certain of her actions. Movement to her right showed Ares propping Celestia in a similar position, the stallion then lying behind the mare and-

'Oh,' Chrysalis paled a bit at the actions, the stallion driving his tongue into the white alicorn's pulsing heat and drawing a few moans of approval for his effort. Looking back to her own charge the queen slowly bent down to the mare, hesitantly flicking her serpentine tongue over the damp and clenching hole.

Luna hissed in surprise at the sensation, looking back at her and nodding in approval of the action. With a little more certainty, the queen extended her tongue again, running it along the entire circumference of the dripping sex. It was strange, but it didn't taste horrible as she'd expected. A loud moan from her right drew her attention, the stallion's muzzle buried deep in Celestia. The queen could feel the waves of lust and love flowing between them, and it steeled her resolve. That was how they did it, how they transferred love to each other. With one last deep breath, the queen dove in.

She heard Luna squawk in surprise but paid it no mind, pushing her muzzle as far into the mare's cunny as she could. The second her forward momentum stopped she extended her tongue, swirling and lashing it all about, not paying attention to any particular spot, merely trying to hit every possible location as the stallion seemed to be doing. After three squeaks of pleasure from her prey the queen noticed the bump, a small lump in the alicorn's tunnel that seemed to draw more reaction than the rest. Rubbing her tongue over it then pressing down on it confirmed her suspicions. Focusing more on the lump and yet still tonguing the blue alicorn to bliss, she heard the mare beside her scream, the waves of lust and love solidifying as the lust burned away, leaving for a moment nothing but a powerful, passionate love.

It was what she wanted, what she wanted directed at her. She licked, she swirled her tongue, she did all she could to earn that love. After a few more moments, her partner delivered it. It caught her unawares, the changeling still working desperately when her target suddenly clenched, leaving Chrysalis in a state of confusion. Then the love and lust began to burn brightly, all directed solely at her.

Then the mare attempted to drown her.

A sudden torrent of fluids rushed out of the alicorn, forcing their way into her nostrils and mouth, as she was currently plugging Luna's pussy entirely. Pulling out while sputtering and coughing the shape-shifter growled, attempting to focus on getting her breath back so she could retaliate. Her raised hoof was caught by a strong aura though, bringing her attention to the stallion currently wrapped around his partner as he motioned for her to do the same.

Grumbling, she did so, going silent as the passion of her own partner reached a new intensity. Luna shifted to pull the younger mare into a hug. Chrysalis allowed it, feeling the potent emotions flowing over her and finding a part of herself wishing to remove her ring so that she could feed on them. Cuddling deeper into the blue mare's grip she sighed, actually feeling a sense of enjoyment for the first time in years.

She'd begun to doze when her warm/soft/safe pulled away, leaving her to lift her head while blinking the weariness away. She whipped her head around, finding the three alicorns surrounding her. Her first instinct was to flee, but the emotions she tasted stayed her hoof, causing her to settle down with a nervous flitter of her wings.

"Are you ready, Chrysie?" Celestia asked with a smoldering gaze. "This is where it begins and ends for you. No changeling magic to protect yourself from what's going to happen, no disguises, nothing but four beings sharing their love."

Celestia leaned forward and kissed her deeply, the queens thinner tongue getting brutalized by the older mares thick organ. Even as she fought against herself, trying to decide to feed or flee, the queen felt a second tongue, this one moving up and down her back, the alien sensations causing her wings to splay in confusion. What was she doing? It tasted like Luna's lust coming from that direction, so it had to be her, which left one alicorn unaccounted for.

<-(0)->

It was funny, but he wouldn't laugh about it. She was a seductress, she'd likely had more mates than she could remember even in the small portion of his lifetime she'd lived. Yet she sat there, sandwiched between Luna and Celestia, Celestia having pulled the mare onto her own barrel and leaving Luna to nibble and lick the queen's neck as she mounted the both of them, leaving a stacked trio of winking marehoods before him. Only one would be given any attention at this time, though. Stepping forward at the queen's throaty moan, he knew it was time. He neared her entrance, allowing his breath to caress her flanks, smiling at her as she turned to see what was going on. Her eyes were unfocused, fogged with pleasure. She probably didn't even truly understand what was happening. On a scientific level she knew, certainly. But most changelings were quite ignorant of emotions, despite feeding on them. He gave her a gentle lick, a shiver running through her body as she bucked back against him. She squeaked in fear, her eyes shrinking at the realization of what she'd done, but her position between the others prevented any retreat. Clutching her flanks with his forehooves, he spread her flanks and dove in, driving his tongue deep into the sensitive depths of her unaltered flesh. The queen screamed, arousal mixed with confusion, adrenaline, fear of the unknown, and a drive to find out what these alicorns offered. She knew this was how they loved. She just didn't understand the forms, the actions involved.

'We'll have to teach her all the forms, in that case. Sex is great, but having someone to hold on a cold night is also important.'

Certain the mare was sufficiently lubricated he left her, a needy whine and a pleading look from the changeling being answered by his reassuring smile.

"I'm not done, I promise," he told her, putting some pressure on Luna and leaving the tower of mares on its side. Stuck between the two alicorn females, she shivered when he moved over her. She was surrounded, and though she likely knew they couldn't harm her, it didn't mean she didn't expect it on some level. He settled his weight gently on her barrel, using his magic to rub his head against her vaginal opening a few times before slowly pressing in.

The mare instantly began to panic, citing a need to cast a spell, one that he knew would dampen her sensitivity. It was how they operated after all. A queen mated for a purpose. It was completely possible for a changeling queen to go their entire lives without ever experiencing orgasm. If you asked them, they'd likely dismiss it as a waste of time. Poor fools had no idea what they were missing.

At a few reassuring words from both mares the queen settled slightly, allowing him to continue. He inched in more, every push causing her to clench at the intrusion. Then came the resistance.

His ring pressed against her sex, but her nervousness and her tense body refused it entrance. Instead of forcing the issue he retreated, pulling out and sliding back in slowly, allowing the friction to increase the pleasure that was beginning to form in her body. She moaned through gritted teeth, not wanting to show a perceived weakness. A few whispered words from Luna followed, and the queen nodded, relaxing her sleeve's grip on him slightly. He pressed into her once more, pushing his ring against her sex again and it slipped inside, drawing a second gasp from the mare. Slowly he allowed the rest of his length to slide into the slippery sleeve, the changeling squirming between the three of them at the alien sensations. He grinned to the other mares, who both nodded.

"He's going to start now, Chrysie. Just hold on to me, and it will all be fine," Celestia assured her, planting a gentle kiss on the changeling's neck and pulling her closer. Both alicorn mares locked onto the queen, bracing her for what was about to come.

With a grunt, Ares pulled out at a decent speed, then drove himself back in fully, earning a squeal from the shape shifter at the blast of pleasure that struck her. He didn't stop though, nor did he even slow down. He rocked against her, the constant alternation between being empty then full actually being enough to make her spasm. She convulsed slightly, unable to process what was happening to her body. It was too different, too much.

The stallion shifted, driving in at a new angle and drawing another loud mewl from the mare. He could feel her clenching already; it wouldn't be long at all.

She clung desperately to Celestia as he moved, the sensations flooding her mind with pleasure. They were right of course, it was a pleasurable thing, a most wondrous sensation, but too many close calls and stories from her mother and instructors told her she would be attacked or killed if she hit that peak. So she fought against it, holding it back and praying he finished first.

In and out, in and out again, each strike sending another burst of white up her spine. She felt herself clench again and the stallion slowed only long enough to not harm her, the second her vaginal walls relaxed the slightest he was back to his previous pace. It was terrifying, how close she was to peaking. She needed this though. She needed to beat this, to get the love they shared. She also needed the seed. In fact if not for her instinct to be mounted, she likely would have bolted at the first press against her sex by the stallion, but it had also been a reminder. The last male she'd harvested had been years ago, and his seed had long been spent or expired. Even a changeling queen could not preserve semen forever.

She squeezed the white mare tighter, possibly too tightly, but she couldn't tell anymore. She couldn't taste anything but lust and love at this point. Despite the suppressor it was drowning her senses, forcing her to attempt to rely on others. They also began to fail her though. Her nose could smell nothing but sweat and musk, the sexual fluids of Luna still clogging her nose. Her taste was similarly clogged by the blue alicorn, while her hearing was filled with the grunts and slaps of the stallion above her. Her eyes; by the stars, her vision was getting spotty, she was losing this battle and she knew it.

With a final wail, the queen admitted defeat, clenching around the rod one last time as she writhed in sheer bliss. Things went white for her, then...

A few more strikes, causing her to shudder.

A warmth, a familiar one she'd wanted for a long time, the seed of a male being pulled deep into her body subconsciously.

Warmth, nothing but warmth for so long.

With a grunt, Chrysalis lifted her head form the sheets, or at least attempted to.

"Easy, Chrysie," She heard a voice call to her, a wing pulling her against the warmth of a body. "It's ok, settle down. Safe, remember?"

Safe, yes, she was, there was a promise, they couldn't hurt her. In fact they couldn't let her be hurt. She was safe in their presence, likely more so than she'd been in years. She blinked a few times, the world doing its best to remain fuzzy and leave her with no idea as to what was going on. She could vaguely taste a bit of lust a short distance away, but near her was...

She fumbled for the suppressor, the locking part having been disabled after dinner. The body beside her helped her, lifting it off for a few moments and allowing the queen to feed, her eyes going from just fuzzy to fuzzy and everything having a deep pink tint. She giggled, not really being concerned as the ring was carefully replaced. It was good the pony did it for her, she was feeling a bit heavy at the moment. Maybe some sleep would make her feel better. Yes, sleep sounded wonderful right now.

<-(0)->

She blinked awake, suddenly aware of her surroundings once more. Lifting her head, Chrysalis gazed about the room. She was in the center of the bed for some reason, the three alicorns forming a mass of warmth and love around her, a living nest that kept her warm, safe, and fed. She knew they'd kept going even after she'd-

'Oh buzz, I actually blacked out during that,' she lamented. It was embarrassing. She'd felt the herd participate in this sort of thing several times over the week, the powerful emotions reaching her in spite of the distance between the cell and their room. It was just that intense. She knew they would go for hours, several undulations of emotion being broadcasted, so likely several rounds of the activity she'd found herself in. And she'd not lasted one.

She shifted, attempting to find a way out of the pile but finding every option cut off. Celestia was nuzzled against her right rear leg, the mare somehow wrapping her own forelegs around the rear right cannon as she slept on the stallions tail. Ares was laying his head on the back-end of the queen's barrel, a reassuring pressure instead of the panic inducing fact she'd likely have taken it as the night before. Luna, Luna was wrapped around the shape shifter like a the younger mare was some sort of doll, hugging the queen against her own barrel.

Defeat wasn't an option. She wouldn't admit they had her trapped. By the same token however, there really was no reason she had to get up just yet. Gripping the suppressor with her magic she lifted it just a little, allowing the warm love to flow into her and fill her stomach. She then dropped the ring back into place and settled into the pile once more. She was comfortable, and there was no reason to ruin it so quickly.

Returning to consciousness once more, the queen looked around her, finding herself alone on the bed. The others were gone, though their scents remained. Cocking her head in confusion she inhaled again, noting she could pick out each alicorn's scent with ease. She'd never noticed a difference before, not between most ponies. Sure some smelled different, but this was, it was like she could follow each individual scent to whichever pony she wished to speak to.

The queen slowly picked herself up off the bed, a blanket slipping off as she wobbled unsteadily. She felt strange, heavy. Certainly she new she'd being laying eggs again soon since she was eating properly, but this was something else. She felt off.

She soon found her problem. She was heavy with love, bloated almost. Her stomach sloshed with each step, the extra honey having no place to go but wait for her to store it. She knew it was more than she had eaten even during her brief time awake, so what had gone wrong?

Looking up, she noticed the suppressor was not settled correctly, allowing a slight trickle of emotion to enter her body even as she had slept. How long had she been subconsciously feeding?

She waddled to the door, her body swaying unsteadily from both the pink tint the room had taken and her fatigue from the prior night. The door clicked, causing her eyes to finally focus on the handle, watching as it turned and the door opened. She nearly jumped out of her shell the next moment.

"You're looking well, Chrysalis. I'm glad to see the negotiations went so spectacularly," Pulmonus said to her, trotting closer. Chrysalis tensed, running through her options. Fighting would be impossible in her current state, she'd had no time to process the emotion yet, so she couldn't use it in a fight, and with her mind currently clouded? She wouldn't stand a chance against the other queen.

She latched onto an idea, and ignited her horn, planning on teleporting to a location she sensed love coming from, knowing it was one of the alicorns. They'd watch her, they'd-

The spell sputtered out as she stared in shock at Pulmonus, the elder queen bowing to her. It was not a bow of respect either, or one used in greeting. It was used by changelings as an acknowledgement, in deference to their queen. The mare over a millennia her senior had just bowed to her and claimed Chrysalis as her queen.

"I will be turning over the hive as soon as I am certain you are ready." Pulmonus stated with a wan smile. "You are still recovering after all. There are also many things you need to know about your new hive, specifically how changelings are always looking to join it and how you need to make sure they don't harm the other citizens out of habit. Come, we have much to discuss, and Luna and Celestia told me you'd need another bath after your participation in last night's activities."

Chrysalis followed the other queen at an unsteady pace, the sloshing accompanying her steps drawing several giggles from the withered queen on their route. If her mother had seen her, the old queen would likely have strangled Chrysalis for relaxing and standing around the other queen so casually. The more she thought about it, the more she liked the idea. She'd long ago decided that anything Mother hated worked better than she would normally give it credit for. A course of action that would cause her mother to rise from the earth to rebuke her? It was probably the best decision she'd ever make in her lifetime.

That, and so far it seemed to pay in plenty of love. That made the decision easier as well.

Author's Note

Holy fuck. This thing just kept going and going, I couldn't stop it even if I wanted to! Hope you enjoyed it. I didn't plan this originally, but then again, I didn't most of what's happening in Sub. It just kinda happened. Once I finish sub I'll either concentrate on Shadow or move on to a re-write/reimagining of Crystal. Believe it or not, I think of myself as about 1/2 to 2/3 of the way through Sub.

I'm going to bed, I'll enjoy your comments at a later time. Night.